General Race Information 2010

Courtice Kids of Steel Triathlon race kit pick up at the Courtice Community Complex Saturday August 21 from 1:00-3:30pm. We encourage all of those who live in Durham Region to pick up the athletes race bib numbers and swim caps on this day

The sport of triathlon is classified as a multisport event, which means you take part in two or more different sport discplines back to back with no break in between.

The sport of triathlon is an endurance event, meaning that most age groups will probably take atleast .30 min to complete depending on age of the athlete and the older cometitors could take up to 2 hours to complete all three discplines.

The swim part of our event will take place in a 25m pool. Each athlete will be provided a swim cap and are encouraged to wear swim goggles. 3/5 and 6/7 year olds are allowed to wear a life jacket or use a flutter board. Parents are only allowed to assist in the water with the 3-5 year old age group. It is an in the water start, no diving starts. Sorry swim club members.

12 athletes will go at once and will share a lane with one other swimmer. Volunteers will be counting the number of laps for them and will indicate to them buy placing a flutter board in the water when they have one more lap to go. Once out of the water they will walk out of the pool area, but once they have cleared the doors leading to the lobby they are clear to run to the transition area. Once all 12 athletes in that heat are completed the next heat will begin. There maybe a 3-5 minute gap in between heats. The order in which age groups start is on the first page.

The transition area is a fenced off area that contains the athletes bike, running shoes etx. Bike racks are provided and each competitor will have their own small area in which to change equipment from one sport to the other. Athletes typically very quickly throw on socks, shoes and a shirt without taking time to dry off and do ones hair. Fast and experienced triathletes actually practise this and will start biking still soaking wet from the swim. It is encouraged for first timers to practise this transition right at home, soak your self under sprinkler or jump in a pool get out fast and so how long it takes to you get on your bike. The clock does not stop ticking once you have taken your first stroke in the pool. Parents are allowed to help you get your transition area set up, but by about 8:45 no assistance is allowed in the transition area, athletes are on their own with the exception of the 3-5 year old age group. One parent is allowed to assist their child. The 3-5 year old age group is not timed electronically therefore they are not required to where a chiptime strap. (A chiptime strap is a small velcro strap which contains a comptuer timing device which all athletes from 6-19 must where on one ankle. This strap is given to the athlete as they enter the pool area. Having said that there will be race volunteers in the transition to assist those with simple things like bike helmet straps etx. Bike helmets are mandatory and the strapped clicked on before leaving the transistion area. Athletes once ready to bike will walk their bikes to a designated line and then will be allowed to get on their bikes and ride like Lance!

Bike route for our event is quit simple, the maps are available on this site. Bikers must obey all Police and the course will be closed for our event and riders will be allowed to ride through intersections on the bike with Police approval. All riders will be encouraged to favour the right side of the road except for passing. All riders must ride carefully and are not allowed to draft off of other bikers for safety sake.

Run route. Bikers will enter the transition area from one gate and exit running from another. The run routes for all ages differ. It is the althetes responsibility to understand the route. Some age groups will be running the same course twice (lapping) and others not. It is also the racers responsiblity to understand how many laps he/she must run and keep count of that during the race. Every age group from 12 and up must run their respective run routes twice.

Upon arriving at the Courtice complex, each competitor must get a quick safety check done on their bike, this service is being provided by Impala Cycles in Whitby. .

Safety. In addition to Durham Regional Police service, the South Pickering Amateur Radio Club and the Whitby Amateur Radio Club will be setting up stations along the bike and run course and will also have a central station near the start and finish. Wave Communications provided for us 20 two way radios for all race organzing committee members to have. These volunteers will have radios all through out the course and the race announcer/director will be in touch with those on the course and will frequently announce who is where on the course..